LNG, fertiliser, wheat, soybean oil purchase proposals approved

FE REPORT | Published: November 08, 2023 22:55:54

The cabinet committee on government purchase on Wednesday approved a number of proposals to procure liquefied natural gas (LNG), fertiliser, wheat, soybean oil, and lentils.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the virtually held meeting.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting at Cabinet division, additional secretary Sayeed Mahbub Khan said the committee approved a Petrobangla proposal to buy 3.36-million MMBtu of LNG from M/S Total Energies Gas and Power Limited, Switzerland at a total cost of Tk 7.13 billion where each MMBtu LNG will cost US$16.34.
The meeting also approved a proposal allowing the Directorate General of Food to buy 50,000 tonnes of wheat from M/S Grainflower DMCC, Dubai at a price of Tk 1.62 billion.
The Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) has been given the go-ahead to buy 90,000 tonnes of urea fertilisers from home and abroad.
Under one proposal, the BCCI will buy 30,000 tonnes of bulk granular urea fertiliser from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited, UAE under state-level agreement at a cost of Tk 1.27 billion while under another approval, the corporation will import 30,000 tonnes of similar types of fertiliser from Muntajat, Qatar at a price of Tk 1.27 billion.
Moreover, the BCIC was given approval to buy 30,000 tonnes of bagged granular urea fertiliser from KAFCO, Bangladesh which will cost the exchequer Tk 1.23 billion.
The cabinet division's additional secretary said the committee approved three proposals allowing the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) to buy soybean oil and lentils.
The meeting approved the TCB to import 11 million litres of soybean oil from Green Nation Builders and Developers, India under international direct purchase method at a price of Tk 1.41 billion. Each litre of soybean oil will cost Tk 169.
Also, the TCB was given approval to import 10,000 tonnes of lentil from UMAEXPO Pvt Ltd, India at a price of Tk 966 million where each kilogram of lentil will cost Tk 101.69.
Under another approval, the B&C Incorporation and Sena Kalyan Sangstha will supply 15,000 tonnes of lentil to TCB under local direct purchase method at a total price of Tk 1.50 billion where each kilogram of lentil will cost Tk 100.
The meeting also approved the time extension of Ashuganj 55MW Gas Based Rental Power Plant for a period of five more years under the 'no electricity, no payment' method. The government will have to spend Tk 12.05 billion to buy electricity from the plant during the period where each unit will cost Tk 6.25.
The tariff proposal for another solar power plant got approval on the day. The 100 megawatt solar power plant will be built in Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh district by a consortium of Cassiopea Fashion Ltd, Xizi Clean Energy Equipment Manufacturing Co Ltd, and Cassiopea Apparels Ltd. The government will buy each kilowatt hour of electricity from the plant at a cost of Tk 11.05.
The meeting also approved a number of proposals of different ministries including the ministry of shipping, ministry of power, and road transport and highways division.
syful-islam@outlook.com